1115.org

ThinkProgress had this headline yesterday: McCain Lies Again, Repeats False Claim He ‘Received The Highest Honor And Awards’ From Every Vets Group.

By a funny coincidence, they had this headline on July 8: Flummoxed By Vietnam Vet, McCain Falsely Claims He ‘Received Every Award From Every Vets Organization’.

And then there was this back on May 23: McCain: ‘I Received The Highest Award From Literally Every Veterans Organization In America’

Back in May, ThinkProgress noted:

The recognition McCain has received from veterans groups is not “high awards” but failing grades:

— Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave McCain a grade of D for his record of voting against veterans. (By contrast, Obama got a B+.)

– Disabled Veterans of America noted McCain’s dismal 20 percent voting record on veterans’ issues. (Obama had an 80 percent.)

– In a list of “Key Votes,” Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) notes McCain “Voted Against Us” 15 times and “Voted For Us” only 8. (Obama voted for VVA 12 times, and against only once.)

McCain has, of course, set some kind of all-time record for serial lying in a presidential campaign, but it still remains a valid question to ask: why doesn’t some enterprising reporter just ask McCain why he goes on lying about this, or what are these honors and awards he’s supposed to have received?

I can’t speak to why such a question wasn’t asked after July 8 or May 23, but there’s a simple reason why it won’t be asked after the October 20 claim. McCain has simply stopped taking questions from the press. In fact, Sarah Palin has taken more questions from the press in the last 4 weeks than John McCain. McCain has not taken questions from reporters since September 23 (whereas Palin has taken the occasional question here and there, even if she has been firmly sheltered from undergoing the ordeal of a real press conference).

Of course, McCain’s refusal to take questions doesn’t let the media off the hook one bit. An enterprising reporter could have directed the same questions to the McCain campaign. It’s puzzling nobody has, actually, since there would be an easy story whether the question was answered or not.

Equally puzzling is why the mainstream media won’t call McCain on this lie (since they have recently shown their willingness to call him on other lies).